What you did last week - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

Joe Momma · 09-27-2007, 11:26 PM

I lost the thread that I wanted to post to, but thought it might be nice to keep this subject as a running thread. Interesting or boring posts can both be fun to read.

This past week I started with a new contractor and am now building a commuter rail connection downtown between the city center and the grayhound/amtrak station.

Monday did nothing(because that seemed to be the norm though things needed to be done)Tues.-Weds. ran 2 bunks of 2" pvc in 1 commuter rail stop/station. I don't know how much is in a bunk, but this was a rack of 8 pipes with 5 j-boxes and 80 90's.
I'll try to take some crappy phone pics tommorrow and post.

Bkessler · 09-28-2007, 12:04 PM

I installed 7 recess lights, replaced a intermatic timeclock, Replaced 32 landscape lights and remade all the connections with Scotchcast 3570G insulating resin over copper splice caps(buchannons) with super 33 over the crimp, replaced a bad 2 pole 20 for someones pool pump, Moved two outdoor swiches for a pool light and some 120 landscape lights too the inside of the house, Gave an estimate to a former NBA star for some recess lights that I am doing next thursday, And went through a house to see what it's gonna take to fix 25 years of handiman work. And a bunch of other stuff too.

John Valdes · 09-28-2007, 01:51 PM

Lets see.
Get up at 8:00 am
Get first cup of coffee
Get the newspaper (delivered)
Read the newspaper
Watch some TV
Eat lunch
Go forums like this.
Around 4:00 pm, drink first beer
Drink beer and watch soap with wife.
Eat dinner with a beer.
Stop drinking beer after dinner. 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Watch news and some educational TV programs
Get in bed (10:00 pm - 2:00 am) Watching more TV or reading.
Sleep and start all over again the next day.

You see, I had 2 back surgeries and cannot work. I hope this will change soon. It's driving me NUTS

**480sparky** · 09-28-2007, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Valdes

You see, I had 2 back surgeries and cannot work. I hope this will change soon. It's driving me NUTS

Well, at least you're not watching Oprah and Jerry Springer!

My week was:

Monday :FInsish trim on 3BR 2BA house.
Tues. Service calls : Bath light doesn't work, Move receptacle in living room, Hang ceiling fan, Replace bath exhaust fan motor.
Wed.: Commercial.... Start wiring a strip mall bay to be a hair care salon. Started running 3/4 & 1/2" EMT.
Thurs.: Roughed in a kitchen remodel, 2 SABCs, Fridge, Micro, Dishwasher, InSinkErator, etc.
Fri.: Finished trim on house from Monday (hadda wait on udder trades), then went to finish trim on a basement finish... recessed cans, mini-kitchen, home theater.
Tomorrow: Back to hair salon at strip mall.

Mountain Electrician · 09-29-2007, 06:55 AM

My week so far.

Monday:
1) Installed pump control panel for sewer lift pump, added receptacle for heat tape.
2) Finished 100A service installation at new house site. Meter/breaker combo outside, 30 cir. panel inside. Builder installed necessary walls , will use for construction power.

Tuesday:
1) Moved light switch in hallway at movie theater. Was behind door, now it ain't!
2) Installed 100A sub panel for grocery store. Added speed control/dimmer for ceiling fan in apt 1 over store, (had to add 12/3 fish down wall...thank you Greenlee glo stix!!!) added light switch and roughed in for light over sink in apt kitchen.
3) Service call to saw mill. Hydraulic lift to place "stickers" (1X3 boards layed flat) between layers of stacked lumber wouldn't do down. Bad output relay from Omron PLC. Replaced relay, life is good!

Wednesday:
1) Installed 6 outdoor receps for Xmas lighting at a real estate office. Photocell control, added GFCI for kitchenette circuit inside.
2) Installed 110' of 100A underground for service change over at a skiing camp . Service drop was overhead, problems with snow load, etc. Also put in 2 - 1 1/4' for phone and cable. 2" sched 40 w/ #2 triplex URD for power.

Thursday:
1) Finished service changeover. Installed new panel inside camp, re-routed existing circuits.
2) Installed recep for on demand type propane water heater.
3) Added control xformer for yarn spinning machine. 2 weeks ago, rewired machine with phase converter (VFD) , and new controls as customer only has single phase power. Xformer is for DC SOV brake. Machine works well, only 38 years old!
4) Meeting with maintenance super at saw mill, r.e. new 5 million $ expansion this winter. Too big of a project for me (2 man shop), but I'll design power system, put work out to bid, and supervise installation. Also discussed installation of cooling fans on 2000 KVA xformer to boost capacity .

Friday:
1) Roughed in for exhaust fan at new pizza shop.
2) Clean up at ski camp, owners up this weekend, schedule power hook up next Tues.
3) Service call to hunting camp. Lightning strike fried contactor for sewage lift pump. Designing control system to only allow 1 of 3 pumps to run at a time so 10 KW gen wont overload. 3 hour round trip drive time, 20 min job.

Today:
Who knows?!! I'm starting by replacing a motor, contactor and overload relay in a soft serve ice cream machine, and then planning on installing a lighting contactor in the state D.O.T. garage.

Approx. miles on my service truck this week: 600, about average. My day starts at 4 AM with paperwork, and ends at 6 or 7 PM with more paperwork, usually 6 days a week, although lately 7. Winters coming, and everyone wants to do all the crap they've been putting off all summer. Lots of underground this time of year.

I've just passed the 1 year mark in business, and so far so good. Never a dull moment, thats for sure.

**MDShunk** · 09-29-2007, 10:27 AM

I think the most profitable thing I might do today is go for a walk. I might not even do that.

randomkiller · 09-29-2007, 01:57 PM

I had a good day so far, took some scrap to the junkie, took the wife out for lunch, relaxing now for a bit then out to clean my truck and the driveway.

220/221 · 09-29-2007, 02:07 PM

I gots me a $20 tip on Thrurday

John Valdes · 09-30-2007, 12:53 PM

MD, I wish I could take that walk you mentioned.
Now, yesterday my gout flared up and my foot looked like a baseball. Back problems and gout at the same time. No one deserves that amount of pain.

TheElectricalGuru · 10-01-2007, 03:31 PM

I did nothing...broke my femur so I am simply getting by!!!

**MDShunk** · 10-01-2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheElectricalGuru

I did nothing...broke my femur so I am simply getting by!!!

That sucks. How'd that happen? Motorcycle boo-boo?

itsunclebill · 10-01-2007, 05:32 PM

Wow. What a bunch of broken downs! I broke my leg just above my ankle in March. Just had the second surgery done 2 weeks ago to remove the hardware that came loose. I've just got to where I'm able to walk more than 50 steps without having to resort to pain pills. So - typical day is check the forums, read the paper, go outside and sit if it's not raining, watch a bit of TV, read, get on scale and grouse about the weight I'm putting on sitting around, eat some chocolate the wife got to shut me up from complaining about everything else - rinse and repeat.

Loads of fun.

TheElectricalGuru · 10-01-2007, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

That sucks. How'd that happen? Motorcycle boo-boo?

lol....yeah.....was taking my son riding up onto the mountain and we hit some curves...I leaned the right way and he leaned the wrong way on a tight curve.....and well.......right into the side of the mountain !!!!

Lucky to be alive actually......but left me a bit broken down !

Joe Momma · 10-10-2007, 09:35 PM

Last week we ran a bunck of 1-1/4" PVC to multiple boxes that will feed the snow melt in this station, pretty fun stuff

This week I've been sitting through school. Learning about photovoltaic systems, battery racks, and fuel cells.
Did horrible on my test today, at least I think so. Not a good sign when the first 4 of 6 questions are a complete shot in the dark. Rest of the week will be security systems. More fun stuff

randomkiller · 10-10-2007, 09:59 PM

Last week my boss decided to be out in the field while the auditors were in the office, so he rode with me. We did a boat load of service calls and surveys. Ate lunch at diners and had a lot of coffee.

**MDShunk** · 10-10-2007, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randomkiller

Ate lunch at diners and had a lot of coffee.

Are you permitted to eat lunch at a diner normally? I think there's value in getting away from the job for a bit, clear your head, and arrive back with a fresh perspective.